Process for supplying a printing machine with ink

Abstract

In printing machines, especially offset printing machines, an ink profile is produced in the inking unit by means of adjustable dosing devices associated with respective ink zones. A proper production-run state is quickly realized by first implementing a filling process in which the dosing devices are moved into a first filling gap width across the entire breadth of the inking unit. Then the dosing devices are moved briefly into a transitional gap width which deviates more from the first filling gap width than that of the setting for the production-run ink profile. Thereafter, the dosing devices are moved into the setting corresponding to the production-run ink profile.

I claim: 
     
       1. A process for supplying ink to a printing machine in which an ink profile across a breadth of an inking unit is set by means of adjustable dosing devices, each of which is associated with an ink zone, wherein in a production-run operation a production-run ink profile corresponding to an area of coverage of a subject to be printed is set, comprising the steps of: a) filling the inking unit by moving the dosing devices across a breadth of the inking unit to a first filling gap width which deviates from the production-run ink profile;   b) thereafter moving the dosing devices briefly to a transitional gap width which deviates from the first filling gap width more than the production-run ink profile deviates from the first filling gap width; and   c) then moving the dosing devices to the production-run ink profile.   
     
     
       2. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein step a) further comprises the step of adjusting the size of the filling gap until the first filling gap width is greater than approximately 50% of a maximum filling gap width by one of continuously and stepwise increasing of the filling gap width. 
     
     
       3. The process in accordance with claim 2, wherein the size of the filling gap is adjusted until the first filling gap width is between approximately 60% and 70% of the maximum filling gap width. 
     
     
       4. The process in accordance with claim 2, wherein the multiple steps are defined so that a first step is between approximately 30% and 35% of the maximum filling gap width, a second step is between approximately 45% and 55% of the maximum filling gap width and the third step is approximately equal to the first filling gap width. 
     
     
       5. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein step a) further comprises the steps of: d) moving the dosing devices which are disposed nearest each end of the inking unit to a position between approximately 90% and 100% of a maximum filling gap width; and   e) after the remaining dosing devices have reached the first filling gap width, moving the dosing devices which are disposed nearest each end of the inking unit to the first filling gap width.   
     
     
       6. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein step a) further comprises the step of maintaining the dosing devices in the first filling gap width until an ink film density between approximately 75% and 90% of a desired final ink density is produced on the inking unit. 
     
     
       7. The process in accordance with claim 6, wherein an ink film density between approximately 80% and 85% of the desired final ink density is produced on the inking unit. 
     
     
       8. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inking unit comprises a variable-speed roller and wherein step a) is performed by driving the variable-speed roller at a substantially maximum speed. 
     
     
       9. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein step b) is performed by substantially completely opening or substantially completely closing the dosing devices. 
     
     
       10. The process in accordance with claim 9, wherein step b) is performed by substantially completely opening the dosing devices which are relatively more open during production-run operation than during the filling process and by substantially completely closing the dosing devices that are less open during production-run operation than during the filling process. 
     
     
       11. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein step a) further comprises the step of preventing the dosing devices from being manually adjusted while the dosing devices are being moved to the first filling gap width. 
     
     
       12. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein step b) further comprises the step of preventing the dosing devices from being manually adjusted while the dosing devices are being moved to the transitional gap width. 
     
     
       13. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said printing machine comprises an offset printing machine. 
     
     
       14. The process in accordance with claim 1, further comprising six zones with each zone having an associated dosing device. 
     
     
       15. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transitional gap width deviates from the first filling gap width in the same direction that the production-run ink profile deviates from the first filling gap width.